The unknown
by Destria Cosplay
Summary: The unknown is always dark, bleak and uncertain. If ayanami was in danger, the unknown would be the last thing on the young Ikari's mind. The first of three scenes which appear in "An episode of Ayanami Rei"


**This is the first of three stories relating to Scenes that that happen in evangelion which i tweeked and used in "An episode of Ayanami Rei". i will update my story "An episode of Ayanami Rei" after i post up all the scenes, with my view of how the epilogue should've ended. Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or any of the characters portrayed in the story. They are the property of Gainax Studios**

**The Unknown**

**Present time**

"Ayanami! Ayanami!" I yelled, banging against the hatch in desperation. The handles of the entry plug sprung out. I grabbed them without a moment's hesitation, my hands instantly receiving second degree burns.

_I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away._

_Please be alright._

**1 hour ago**

"I guess we may be dead soon," I commented, watching as the city lights disappeared one after another. Sitting high above the city, in the make-shift Eva bays.

"Why?" the blue haired eva pilot questioned.

"How can you be so calm Ayanami? You've been put through so much danger already," I asked her, watching her sit next to her eva, "Why do you pilot it?"

"Because… it's my link," she simply replied.

"To my dad?" I asked surprised.

"I have nothing else," Ayanami continued, "It's like I was born to pilot eva. If I stopped being a pilot, I would have nothing left."

"The same as being dead? Well, I guess I was like that before I came here. "

_Why? Why am I telling Ayanami all this? Because we're in the same situation?_

"I was totally apathetic. I just didn't care, but I put up the quiet front, playing the good little kid. I guess maybe I was just going through the motions of living."

_No. That's not it. Maybe it's because Ayanami has even less than I do. I don't know how, but it feels that way._

Ayanami's watch flashed. So did mine. "It is time," she confirmed, standing next to her eva, "Let's go."

"Sure," I replied mirroring her actions.

"Ikari," she stated softly.

"Yes Ayanami?" I responded automatically.

"You won't die, I will protect you."

_What did she just say? _ I looked at her shocked, she was already getting into her entry plug.

"Goodbye."

**Present time**

The hatch swung open with a hiss. Steam continued to rise from the entry plug. "Ayanami! Are you alright! Ayanami!" I yelled into the open hatch. A lifeless body lay in the cockpit.

_She's not dead. She can't be dead. She has to be alright!_

**10 min ago**

"The first shot missed! The second shot, hurry!" came voices over the intercom. "Exchanging fuse now, beginning recharge, barrel cooling proceeding!"

"Shinji move! Buy us some time!" shouted Misato in the flurry of chaos.

"Okay!" I shouted in response, pulling on the cables joining the rifle, attempting to change locations.

"I'm getting another high energy reading from the target!" shouted Hyuga. I looked up; the 6th angel was already beginning to fire it's particle beam.

"Ahhhhhhhh," I screamed in shock, as the particle beam was mere meters from my eva's body. But the shockwave never hit. "Ayanami!" I screamed Unit 00 was stopping the blast. She's protecting me.

"The shield isn't going to last!"

"Are we ready to fire?"

"10 more seconds!"

More voice came over the intercom. The computer continued to try and get a lock on.

_Come on! Hurry up! _

The shield fully disintegrated, only eva unit 00's body stood between the blast and me. "Ayanami!"

_Hurry the hell up!_

The computed clicked, locking onto the target.

I pulled the trigger

**Present time**

I gently shake her form, as though waking a baby. Slowly her crimson iris's stare back into mine.

"Ayanami, I'm glad… glad you're alive," I told her gently, as though she'd fall apart any second.

"You're crying again, you were crying yesterday in your sleep. Why are you so sad?"

"Idiot," I replied, wiping the tears that I hadn't realised started falling, "I'm crying because I'm happy. Happy that you're alive."

**2 min ago**

"Ayanami!" I shouted in despair. Eva Unit 00 writhed in pain from the multiple burns that covered it's body. I blindly pulled the entry plug from her Eva's back.

_Ayanami! Wait for me! I'll save you!_

Before I knew what was happening I was banging against the entry's plug hatch in desperation, shouting her name.

_There was no time to be scared. She protected me, I would save her._

**Present time**

"Because you're happy? So you cry when you're happy too," she replied in her reserved manner, "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what expression I should make at a time like this. Even though I should be happy."

"Well if you're happy… you should smile," she looked at me, uncertain as to what expression to make. "Can you stand?" I asked, offering my hand to her. She nodded, placing a delicate hand in mine. Her hand was so much smaller than mine. I turn my attention back to her face.

_She's so beautiful. _

Her lips had curved up to form a small but genuine smile. A smile no one had ever seen before.

"What's the matter?" she asked. I shook my head, forever imprinting her image into my mind.

"Nothing," I nervously replied, "Let's go." Steadily placing her arm over my shoulder, she leaned her body weight against me. My hand rested on her waist, supporting her small petite body, as we limped back to camp. "Ayanami… You should stop saying "goodbye" when you leave on a mission. It's too sad." Her eyes turned to look at me as we continued forward.

"We might not have anything besides the eva program right now, but the future is unknown. As long as we stay alive, someday we'll be glad that we survived. I was scared Ayanami, of what I'd find when I opened your hatch, but I'm glad I did."

She averted her gaze from mine, looking upwards to the night sky. "It's always darkest before the dawn Ayanami," I continued not really knowing what I was saying, but we were both lost, just searching for a reason to exist, "But eventually the dawn will come and our uncertainty won't be as bad. Just like how I found you alive. Just like how one day, we'll be glad we survived together."

"It might be far in the future but until then, let's live on. Even on a black and empty street if we go together, we might one day find something. Like the moon that floats in the darkness."


End file.
